As you all will have noticed, the Tecla has not stopped sailing due to the virus, yet. We have been underway for weeks now, making our way North to the Azores. But the Azores have cancelled their flights until the 31st of May, with restriction of a 2 week quarantine still in place, making a crew change on the Azores impossible.
Furthermore, the UK has implemented a 2 week quarantine period for those arriving. Our voyage planned, along the Outer Hebrides, the Orkneys and Shetlands will be very restricted in what we can do and where we can stop. Denmark still has a travel ban which includes the Faroe Islands.
We understand all these Island groups, but with these restrictions, we see no other alternative then to sail for the Netherlands and change our crew there. The Tecla will not stop on the Azores, but will make use of the good wind they have, to make more and more miles North and East.
On the 15th of June the Icelandic government will start allowing tourists back into the country, without quarantine. They are still working on some details, but a visit to Iceland will mean undergoing a Covid-19 test and downloading a tracking app for the duration of your stay in Iceland. This is still subject to change.
The lifting of the 2 week quarantine means that sailing and exploring will soon be possible again in Iceland! Our first voyage is planned for the 11th of July 2020. We will keep an eye on the developments in Iceland and make sure all is safe and possible for traveling and exploring before we set of for Iceland.
For the voyages to Greenland we are also depending on the Danish government lifting the travel ban – depending on the rules set on the 1st of June.
Those booked on a voyage on board the Tecla have received emails on our plans and what possibilities there are, now that we have cancelled the voyage from Ullapool to Reykjavik. If the prospect of setting sail, away from all the Covid-19 news and no cell phone reception for 3 weeks in Greenland has made you enthusiastic! Send us an email, we will put you on our list, not asking for any down payments until we know for certain that we will set sail for Greenland in July and August 2020.
Wondering how we will make sure no one is sick on board?
Well, with the new rules in Iceland, all sailors who will join us, have to be tested before setting sail, so no one on board should be sick. The contact that we have with the outside world in Iceland and Greenland is limited as we will visit mostly remote uninhabited places.
During clearance into the country, contact with harbour officials, during grocery shopping etc we will keep to the 1,5m rules and with strict hygiene.
In each room we will facilitate disinfecting soap and/or hand gel. Non Tecla sailors will not be allowed on board.
We hope with these rules we can have an amazing sail together and make sure you have a summer you will not soon forget!
Varied will be his fortunes, who fares far
Icelandic saga
Wondering what the crew at home is up to?
In our quarantine time we have continued knitting our Tecla Beanies and even started spinning our own wool as the sheep of our neighboring were being sheered! Can you tell which one is home spun and which one is Icelandic Wool? Soon to be found on board the Tecla.
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